A1plus

| 17:39:05 | 14-04-2005 | Politics |

NPA LEADER MET WITH HIS SUPPORTERS

Today leader of the National Party of Armenia (NPA) Stepan Demirchyan met
with his regional supporters in Talin. Mr. Demirchyan informed they will
often organize such meetings since any political force needs «live» contacts
with the population to conduct the right policy. Armenia needs to establish
justice and overcome the crisis of trust, said Mr. Demirchyan.

According to him, today’s authorities cynically speak about combating
corruption while in fact not a single top official has been called to
account. NPA supporters decisively declared that the current authorities
should be removed from office by force. `They should follow the example of
Kyrgyzstan’. However, the NPA leader thinks these authorities will be
removed peacefully and within the Constitution.

When asked whether the NPA will cooperate with the coalition, Stepan
Demirchyan said their party is cooperating with the people.

People also shared with Demirchyan their everyday concerns. The NPA leader
told them to present the problems in writing and promised to deal with them.

A1plus

| 17:14:35 | 14-04-2005 | Politics |

DEMONSTRATION AT THE GEORGIAN EMBASSY

«Georgia is leading the policy of assimilating Armenians», «No to Georgian
nazism», `White genocide towards Armenians’ – read the posters today at the
doorway of the Georgian Embassy. A group of young people from Yerevan state
pedagogical university and other colleges organized a protest action in
support of the Armenians living in Georgia.

Declaring that their action had no political context the young people said
they were going to present a note of protest to the Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Georgia to Armenia. The students expressed
their concerns concerning the policy conducted with regard to Armenians in
Georgia. `We understand that Georgians implement national policy in Georgia,
but they even want to pass a bill in the parliament demanding that teaching
of Armenian language in Armenian schools be carried out twice a week. Some
nationalistic forces want to stirr up incitements in Georgia and to involve
Armenia in it. They profane Armenian historic and cultural monuments,
vandalism incidents were recorded. This is perhaps done by Meskhet Turks,
recently actively settled in Armenian settlements’, says student of the
pedagogical university Arsen Balyan.

The demonstrants ask the Georgian authorities not to give in to these
provocations, since Georgia has centuries-old fraternal relations with
Armenia, and hope that accepting the note of protest the Ambassador will
ensure rights of Armenians in Georgia.

The Ambassador was away, and the Envoy accepted the note, ensuring that no
Meskhet Turk will be settled in Armenian settlements, in particular, in
Javakhk. The Envoy also promised to review the matter of teaching Armenian
language and history in Armenian schools.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A1plus

| 16:30:25 | 14-04-2005 | Official |

GOODS IMPORTED TO ARMENIA

The government took note of the report of the RA government Committee on
coordination of charitable programmes concerning the implemented activities.

According to the report, in 2004 within the framework of the programmes
recognized as charitable by the committee, cargo amounting to 18,42 billion
AMD were imported to the republic from 29 countries addressing 124
organizations. 50,54% of them belonged to health care sphere, namely medical
supplies and equipment. 70.89% of the goods were imported from the USA,
5.85% from Italy, 3.8% from Germany and 3.41% from Iran.

As the report said, in particular, about 170 tons of goods amounting to 13.7
million USD were imported to Armenia through the US United Armenian
Foundation during the year.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A1plus

| 15:32:39 | 14-04-2005 | Politics |

CONCESSIONS EQUAL TO TREASON

Today several women organized a press conference on behalf of the widows,
mothers and sisters of the fighters who died in the Kharabakh war. They are
displeased and concerned with recently voiced declarations concerning
«return» of liberated territories.

Gohar Karapetyan was angry with the recent statement of Defense Minister
Serzh Sarkisyan about «possible concessions for certain guarantees». «What
guarentess do they want to get from the Turks, and what will be given in
return?» ask the women. They declare that they speak on behalf of those 400
000 refugees, «real owners» of the territories. «It’s at least treason not
to take into account the sufferings, the heroic fight of Karabakh
population, and the blood they shed», say the women.

They reminded Robert Kocharyan of his pre-election programmes saying
Armenians are owners of these territories. Women do not understand «how can
Serzh Sarkisyan and Robert Kocharyan who had had certain participation in
the fight, make such declarations». The widows of the fighters noted that
if, God forbid, the war is resumed, they will be on the front line.

AZG Armenian Daily #067, 15/04/2005

Press release

EBRD REPRESENTATIVE IN YEREVAN

President Robert Kocharian received yesterday Michael Veinstein, head of the
Eastern Office of the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development.

They discussed issues concerning perspectives of the Bank’s activities in
Armenia.

Michael Veinstein said that the Bank is interested in Armenia more than ever
and has already prepared a package of programs to be implemented here. The
Bank envisages to start crediting enterprises and to participate in projects
concerning mining industry and infrastructures.

President Robert Kocharian noted that the Armenian side is interested to see
the Bank more active, as its projects go hand in hand with the economic
policy of Armenia.

AZG Armenian Daily #067, 15/04/2005

Economy

PRIVATIZED RAILROAD?

Projects of Privatization Discussed in Government

127 international and local organizations carried out benevolent and
humanitarian programs in Armenia last year, Simon Ter-Simonian, president of
Commission for Benevolent Programs’ Coordination at the RA government,
informed yesterday. Speaking of the Commission’s report of 2004 activities,
he noted that 29 countries imported to Armenia goods for more than 18
billion AMD. The USA still occupies the first place as the biggest supplier
of humanitarian aid. In particular, the United Armenian Fund of America
organized 5 flights to Armenia conveying 170 tones of goods assessing $14
million.

Karine Kirakosian, head of the Department of State Property Management,
submitted a report on privatization of state property in 2001-2003 to the
government yesterday. 63 companies, Kirakosian says, were privatized in this
period, 48 of which were privatized being sold and 15 went through contest.
The state budget received 2.7 billion AMD and $45 million. The
Copper-Molybdenum Plant of Zangezur was privatized through a contest for
$132 million, and the state budget received $45 million. It is envisaged
that the plant will get investments of $150-200 million in near future.

Concerning the privatization of Armenian railways, Karine Kirakosian said
that the issue is being discussed from September of 2004 and a special
commission has been set for that purpose. It is possible that by the end of
the current year the commission will take a decision on conditions of the
railway’s privatization. It was noted that the railway is operating
profitably. Kirakosian also said that the privatization program of 2006-2007
is being prepared and they specify the components to be privatized.

By Ara Martirosian

A1plus

| 20:37:07 | 14-04-2005 | Official |

ARMENIAN-IRANIAN MEETINGS IN YEREVAN

Today representatives of Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Iran met in
Yerevan to discuss consular issues concerning citizens of the both
countries.

This is the first joint meeting of such kind. It is planned that during the
two-day meeting the parties will also touch upon various social,
visa-related issues, problems of foreign students, as well as matters of
transfrontier transportation.

The Iranian delegation headed by the Director of the consular department of
the Foreign ministry of Iran Rasul Mojaher will also hold meetings with
other officials of Armenia.

A1plus

| 19:00:46 | 14-04-2005 | Politics |

MPs HAMPER NA SESSIONS

This week the four-day work of the National Assembly was transformed into a
two-day session. It’s the second day already that Armenian MPs refuse to
work and do not constitute a quorum.

However, today progress was recorded; yesterday at the beginning of the
session only 29 deputies were registered, while today their number made up
35. Let us remind you that at least 66 out of 131 parliament members must
register at the beginning of the session in order to make up a forum.

According to the regulating law, sessions of the National Assembly are
convened once in three weeks, so only two sessions are left before the
holidays of the MPs. By the way, this week amendments to the Constitution
and the Electoral Code were to be discussed. But the deputies decided to
discuss them later.

A1plus

| 18:10:18 | 14-04-2005 | Official |

EUROPEAN BANK IS INTERESTED IN ARMENIA

Today Robert Kocharyan received head of the Yerevan office of European Bank
of Development and Reconstruction Michael Veinstein.

The parties dicussed issues on prospects of the activities of the Armenian
branch of the Bank.

Michael Veinstein noted that at present the Bank more than ever is
interested in Armenia and has already developed a large package of projects
to be implemented here. The projects provide for a credit process, as well
as participation in projects related to mining and infrastructures.

Pan Armenian News

TURKEY DENIAL OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE EVIDENCES INSUFFICIENT PERCEPTION OF
EUROPEAN VALUES

14.04.2005 07:29

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A conference focusing on the plight of the Armenian
community in Turkey was held in the European Parliament on Tuesday April 12,
reported the European Armenian Federation (EAF). The organization cautioned
EuroParliament members about the likely Turkish government manipulation of
the Armenian speakers on the panel, pressuring the them to claim that all
Armenian minority problems would be solved simply by Turkey joining the EU
and to refrain from discussing `taboo’ topics including the Armenian
Genocide. In the words of Laurent EAF Executive Director Leylekian, the
presentations of both the Armenian minority representatives from Turkey were
full of ambiguity and incoherence. `It was clear that these individuals,
muted by fear, self-censored themselves bother in terms of terminology used
and on the ideological level. Their speeches dealt with everything except
the genocide,’ he said. Meanwhile, in his words, in reality, the purpose of
the conference was not to discuss recognition of the Armenian Genocide by
Ankara, but to discuss the obstacles to Turkeys admission into the EU. The
denial of the Armenian Genocide today, like the act of genocide 90 years
ago, demonstrates a lack of understanding of European values, continued
Leylekian.